Literal translation
to have water at the sink
Meaning
to have running water
Explanation
To have running water. La pile, in regional French, means the sink, a word borrowed from the Provençal pielo by resemblance to the pile of a bridge, since traditional sinks were carved from stone. Before running water arrived, it was fetched from the well or the fountain, until it finally reached the sink. The expression shows the Provençal taste for the concrete: rather than the abstract running water, it states exactly where the water is and the advantage that brings. An older sense also meant living in a well to do household, back when running water there was a luxury.